A Statue of an Elf
by Lydia2
Summary: Complete Legolas has been told by his father that he is not allowed to cry, centuries later he meets Aragorn, raised to be emotionally healthy, can Isildur's heir save him NO SLASH
1. Default Chapter

Four-year-old Legolas cried as he stood with his father at the funeral of his mother. No sooner had they gotten back to the king's bedroom, and out of sight of any onlookers, then Thranduil turned to his young son with a scowl. "Enough of that noise!" He scolded harshly. "You have been spoiled by your mother, but I expect you to grow out of such infantile behavior immediately. You shall not cry again. I am thoroughly ashamed of your behavior." He raised his hand to slap Legolas, who cringed and tried to stop his flow of tears.

That was the last time the elf ever showed an emotion. He schooled himself harshly to hide any vestige of feeling, never again to weep or laugh. His face became a mask that hid all pain and joy. In fact, he did not find any joy anymore.

The centuries passed as he grew to adulthood, and he learned much over the years, how to shoot a bow accurately and swiftly, and how to fight with knives. His life passed by without any change. He fought spiders and orcs at irregular intervals, but there was no meaning in his life, for as he had arranged his face into a mask so long ago, the same mask had grown into his heart. His life before age four was a buried memory that he did not allow himself to think of. Then one day, his father sent him on a mission outside of the forest to take a message to Elrond.

A young man stood in the courtyard of the Last Homely Home, laughing his head off. He was twenty-one years old, and had just returned from archery practice. Not that he was not a good shot, but having returned from the Wilds a week earlier, he was not about to allow himself to get out of practice. Now he was watching his foster brothers run around the yard with Glorfindel in hot pursuit. The twins had oiled the Balrog slayer's bow for him, oiled it so well, that he could not get a good grasp on it to shoot.

"Aragorn," someone called, "come on in and get some food. Otherwise it will go to waste since certain other people don't appear to be interested," the voice ended pointedly.

"Coming, Ada." Aragorn called back. He jogged toward the door with the elves running after him.

It was a merry meal, full of laughter and joking as the people at the table reminisced about old tricks played by various people, particularly the sons of Elrond, Aragorn included. He had always been getting into trouble of one kind or another as a child having had the bad influence of the twins to inspire him.

Just then, there were hoofbeats outside the window to the courtyard. No one was expected, so everyone looked up in surprise to see whom the visitor might be. An elf got up to answer the door and brought in the elf that stood outside. He was tall and blonde, very unlike the elves Aragorn had grown up among, who all had dark hair. The main difference, though, was in his facial expression, which was completely void. The elf could have almost been a statue for all the feeling he showed. 

He stepped inside and bowed to Elrond. "My Lord," he said emotionlessly, "I bear a message from King Thranduil." He held out a leather cylinder, which Elrond accepted.

"Thank you, Prince Legolas. Would you dine with us?" Elrond asked politely. He had only met the prince a few times over the centuries, and had not liked what he had seen. Not that the elf was unfriendly, but he was un-anything. He never seemed to react to anything, and that worried the older elf. Legolas was around the age of his own sons, and Elrond feared what may have turned this Silvan elf into such a void presence. He had only see the prince before in Mirkwood, though, and had hoped that he was different out from under his father's influence.

Legolas nodded acceptance to the question and took the indicated seat across from Aragorn, who smiled at him. Legolas stared blankly back. He had never seen an adult smile, or at least not since the death of his mother. Looking more closely, he saw that it was a young man in front of him, rather than an elf. That was a cause for curiosity to him, since men were not welcome in Thranduil's halls, especially not to dine among elves as equals. He thought perhaps that there was something strange about Elrond, who would permit someone to smile. As Legolas looked around him, he saw that others were smiling as well, including Lord Elrond. Deciding that custom ruled, he forced his lips to turn upward as well, though the smile did not touch his eyes. He began to eat quietly as conversation around him resumed.

Elrond watched hopefully as Legolas smiled around him. Hope died, though, when he saw that prince's eyes were as dead as ever. The meal progressed with increased silence, as the prince's mood was contagious. Everyone was relieved when they could leave the table. Elrond brought his sons and Legolas into his office. The message was unimportant, but the prince's attitude was an unhealthy one, and he hoped to remedy it. 

Elladan, Elrohir, and Aragorn entered with unusual silence. Though they normally had a joke for every occasion, it just somehow didn't seem possible in the face of Legolas's indifference.

"Legolas, if you would like, you may stay for awhile and go hunting with my sons."

Legolas stared at him with empty eyes, "I would be delighted, my lord." He turned to the twins, completely ignoring the man. "When shall we go?"

The twins were appalled. "At your leisure, of course. Aragorn, do you think you can stay that long? I know you were thinking of returning north soon."

The man nodded quickly, "Stay longer? Of course. Could you send a messenger north, Adar? Otherwise they will likely worry about me."

Elrond smiled. "Who doesn't worry about you, ion nin? But I will send someone this afternoon with some extra supplies for you men since I'm sure they are getting tired of having to eat their own cooking all the time."

Under his mask, Legolas watched and listened in amazement. This _man_ was considered a son of Elrond? "Excuse me, my lord, I believe I shall go on a walk if you don't mind."

"Of course, your highness, you are welcome to go anywhere as you please." Elrond watched the elf leave and waited for several minutes until Legolas should be out of earshot. To his relief, he saw the prince step outside and head away from the house. Then he said, "He worries me. There is something wrong there, but I'm not sure what. He obviously did not expect Aragorn, either. I am hoping to keep him here long enough to discover what is wrong. Thranduil and I don't always get along but how can he have missed his son's problem…unless perhaps he caused it. Don't go repeating that though." They nodded in unison.

"Ada, I believe I shall go on a walk myself." Aragorn said, troubled.

"Don't take his behavior wrongly, Aragorn. He is as he was raised, and Thranduil has never been a friend to man. Legolas will learn soon enough."

Aragorn nodded again and left. It was a fine summer day so he didn't bother with a cloak but made sure he had his bow, quiver full of arrows, and blades. These last he always carried, a sword strapped on his hip, two daggers in wrist sheathes and one in his belt. Sometimes if he wasn't carrying his bow, he wore the sword strapped to his back instead. Now well armed, he set off into the trees to work of his confused feelings. He knew objectively that some elves didn't like men, but Legolas's attitude hurt.

To distract himself, he set off at a run, keeping his eyes and ears open for danger. He knew these trees well since he had grown up among them, but there was always a chance of orc invasions. He heard the trees whisper as he ran. He did not know their language but it was easy enough to decipher their tones, which varied according to dangers. Right now, they sounded confused by having a wood elf among them that was seemingly oblivious to them. He had walled them out of his mind as he walled himself in. 

As he went further, the tone changed. Something was coming that was dangerous. They were not talking to him though, he realized, but to Legolas. The trees became more and more unhappy until they were speaking of orcs near the lone elf. Aragorn put on a burst of speed and slung his bow around so that he could shoot as soon as he saw one. 

He was almost too late. Legolas was surrounded by the hideous creatures, fighting them off with a pair of daggers since they were too close for him to shoot. Aragorn shot three in the back before they noticed him. Then he slung his bow back away and drew his sword. The two were outnumbered about seven to one now and the orcs were angry. The man threw himself forward to even the odds by killing another one. 

Legolas was as taken off guard as the orcs were. That moment of confusion was almost his undoing. As he was distracted, the orcs attacked at once. He managed to kill one but the others were weighing him down. He had many injuries now, though he didn't make a sound. One of the orcs had a bow and drew it to shoot the elf while he was immobilized. His movement caught Aragorn's attention and in a moment's decision, threw himself into the arrow's path, taking it in his lower left shoulder.

Legolas was completely shocked and undone by the gesture. In all of his sixteen yen, he had never seen such a selfless move, particularly not by someone he had shunned. As the man collapsed, the elf pulled himself free and set out to slaughter any creature that moved. He screamed in rage as he did so, the tears that he had long ago dammed falling freely so that he couldn't even see his targets clearly anymore.

And so he didn't realize when his targets changed. For Elladan and Elrohir heard the screaming prince and came to help. Unfortunately for them, Legolas was not comprehending anything at the moment. He was just killing anything that moved, which fortunately did not include Aragorn but did include the twins. They were shocked, to say the least, and tried to immobilize him, since the orcs were all dead, gruesomely slaughter by the mad elf.

Approaching from either side, the two half-elves grabbed his arms. Legolas threw them off without effort. Finally, lacking any other idea, Elrohir grabbed a long stick and swung it at Legolas's back. The pain snapped him momentarily out of his insanity and collapsed to his knees beside Aragorn, whom they only now noticed. Snapping out of their own shock, they approached the two princes. Elladan lifted the human into his strong arms and set out for his home. Elrohir followed carrying the elven prince since his legs no longer seemed to be supporting him.

Elrond was very surprised when he looked out the window of his study. He had thought he heard screaming earlier but was too immersed in his work to react except to look out and see his sons setting out to see what the problem was. Now he looked out again to the sound of his name and saw his twin sons carrying two badly injured people who had been perfectly healthy a half-hour earlier.

Shaking out of his shock, he hurried to the infirmary to prepare for his patients. Within minutes, Aragorn and Legolas were laid out on neighboring beds. There was no doubt that the man was more badly off, so the elf lord turn his attention to his foster son, leaving the visiting prince to the care of his biological sons whom he had given much training in the healing arts.

Elrond carefully pulled the arrow out with one hand while in the other he held a premade remedy to morgul poisoning that he poured into the gaping hole. He followed this with the common antidote to orc poisons before examining the wound more closely. To his relief, the arrow had just missed the heart but had thrown the young man into shock, compounded by bloodloss. Now he got out thread and needle and sewed the layers back together with as much accuracy as he could manage several inches in. As soon as he finished, his hands began to shake as he realized how close a brush with death his son had had.

Forcing his hands to still, he went to the pitcher and basin sitting nearby and washed off the blood. He then went to see how the other patient was doing. Legolas lay perfectly still, his eyes open but unseeing, though Elrond could see that he still breathed.

"What happened?" he asked now.

Elladan looked at him grimly. "As far as I can tell, they were attacked by orcs and Legolas went mad when Aragorn fell. All I know is that he was killing everything in sight with a look of sheer agony on his face such as I have never seen and a waterfall of tears obscuring his eyes."

Elrond gaped. "What can that mean? First he is passively hostile to Aragorn and now he is grief-stricken when the man falls? There is more to this than we can see." He looked down at the unblinking elf and saw that all of his wounds had been sewn or bandaged.

"Ada," Elrohir spoke up for the first time, "can we move them to Aragorn's room? Both of them? I know Aragorn will be more comfortable there and Legolas seems like he would just fall apart if he couldn't see Aragorn is alive."

Elrond agreed and his sons picked the two up again, with him leading the way to open doors for them. Aragorn's room was spacious and airy with a wide luxurious bed that had enough room for five. Aragorn was a restless sleeper, though, as they well knew so that bed kept him from rolling onto the floor. The rest of the family also each had a bed as wide, for it was inevitable that someone would at sometime have a nightmare. Elladan and Elrohir had gone between their beds frequently over the years and before that had gone to their parents. Arwen too had sought comfort from any one of them when she was young.

Now the two were laid on either side of the bed as gently as could be managed. Aragorn moaned in response, though, and Elrond immediately sat on the edge of the mattress, putting a hand on his son's forehead. "How do you feel, ion nin?" he asked softly.

"Like I've been trampled by a herd of mumaskil." He groaned.

"What happened out there?" Elrond asked. "Your brothers found you and Legolas and a bunch of dead orcs but couldn't tell us much."

"The trees spoke of invasion of the woods near Legolas so I went to help him. He was surrounded by orcs so I helped kill some of the and then saw one of them about to shoot him so I tried to protect him. Is he okay?"

"Well enough, for having a few minor injuries but he appears to be in shock."

"He was crying when we found him and he almost killed us." Elladan broke in. "He isn't reacting to anything now but he killed all the orcs before we could arrive and then collapsed."

Aragorn tried to push himself up. "Where is he?" Elrond tried to hold him down but he was having none of that. "I have to see him. Please, Ada." Elrond sighed and complied, supporting his son's back. Aragorn flinched a bit but refused to desist. Elrond pointed to where Legolas now lay, his eyes now closed but the mask still gone. The man was amazed at how different he looked now that he was not trying to shield all emotions in and out. He scooted across the bed carefully and took Legolas's hand. "Your highness? Prince Legolas?" The prince's eyelids fluttered and then his face rearranged itself back into its old mask. When he saw Aragorn sitting beside him, though, a bit of relief he couldn't hide shone out.

"You're alive." He whispered.

"Thanks to you," Aragorn replied.

"Well you saved me first after I was so rude to you." Legolas protested. "By rights, I would have thought you would abandon me, not throw yourself into an arrow meant for me."

"Aragorn!" exclaimed Elrohir, "you did what!"

The man sighed. "There was an arrow aimed at Legolas who was held down so I got in front of him. Not that it seems it was necessary since I fell and I presume he killed them."

"I went crazy," admitted Legolas. "I lost control of myself and killed all of them. I think I also almost killed those two if my memory isn't mistaken. It won't happen again.

Elrond had been listening with interest. "Legolas, why have you been so controlled? Have you been through some trauma that you would hide yourself so well?" He asked carefully.

"Emotions are weakness." Legolas replied as if it was a rote answer. "Father says I must not cry. I have failed him."

The family exchanged looks over his head. "When did your father tell you that?" Aragorn asked curiously.

"When Mother died, he told me I must not be a baby anymore."

Elrond became quietly upset. "Your mother died when you were still a baby didn't she? You were just a toddler?"

Legolas nodded. Elrond excused himself to go out in the hall and let out a stream of curses in many languages. Aragorn listened intently to see if there were any new ones he could pick up. When the Peredhil returned, he seemed almost calm except in the rage in his eyes that was not directed toward anyone present.

"Your father is wrong, Legolas. Tears are not a sign of weakness but of strength. Tears have healing power that release tension and can go a long way toward bringing someone to health. As a healer, I prescribe bed rest and plenty of laughter and tears."

His sons laughed and Legolas tried a weak chuckle since he was sorely out of practice. Aragorn squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "I expect you are going to give me the same prescription, are you not, Ada?" Elrond laughed. "Of course. Your duty is to stay in bed and tell jokes until Legolas learns to laugh. Your punishment will be to be tickled to death by your brothers if you fail." With a last smile, he got to his feet and left the room, followed by the healing laughter of his family, two sons, a foster son, and someone who was likely to become as close as a son if Aragorn had any say in the matter.


	2. Issues to Resolve

I have had many requests for a sequel so here is the next chapter.

His Majesty, King Thranduil, paced the floor of his bedroom worriedly. His son was due home soon but that wasn't the problem, not exactly. He was worried about Legolas because there was something seriously wrong and he didn't know what. In fact, that was the real reason he had sent his son with a message to Elrond. He knew that Lord Elrond was the greatest healer in Arda and particularly that his expertise wasn't limited to physical health. Thranduil's duty as king had kept him very distracted over the years, but every now and then some part of his mind had had realized that Legolas was not well. Oh he did his duties, and he trained hard and well in everything, but there was something dead about him. Only the magical bond that tied father to son had kept him convinced that whatever the problem was, it was completely Legolas's, not the foul sorcery of the former resident of Dol Guldor.

Before he could wear a hole in the floor, his sharp ears caught an unfamiliar sound. Someone was laughing. It was a friendly laugh, though, a joke shared with a friend. No one laughed in Mirkwood these days. Once upon a time it had been common in Eryn Lasgalen, but since the death of Thranduil's beloved wife, that sound had become extinct.

He hurried to the window from whence the sound had originated and saw two figures riding through the gates. Both looked vaguely familiar, but it wasn't until the blond head fell back in laughter that he recognized it…Legolas, looking exactly like his long dead mother. The other figure lifted his own face after a moment from where it had been buried in the horse's mane.

Once again a shock thrilled through him. It was a human, a man who looked exactly like another he had seen almost three thousand years earlier, a man who had been introduced as Isildur, son of Elendil. That was shortly before his terrible argument with the Peredhil about the war against Sauron. That argument had taken centuries to patch and still remained and uneasy truce between them. Now as he pictured again that man, he saw the difference between the ancestor and his descendant. Isildur had always been sober. His father and brother had died in the war, just as Thranduil's father Oropher had. This young man, though sharing the same features, had a face lit up with joy at his companion's laughter.

At that moment, Legolas caught sight of the king staring down. His happiness drained away drained away in an instant and the old mask was once more set in place. It was the most pitiful thing Thranduil had ever witnessed. Wearing his own mask, the father headed downstairs to greet his son.

~+~

Elrond sat in his study, as worried as the king. His son and the prince should be arriving in the center of Mirkwood very soon, if he judged the traveling time correctly. Though Legolas was doing better, his hold on sanity was shaky. The healer felt that the reunion of father and son could destroy what healing he had been able to impart, and he was glad Estel had insisted on going along. The young man was coming along nicely as a healer and had taken a liking to Legolas. Elrond did not have the strong gift of foresight like Galadriel, but he had a strong hunch that the friendship of the two would be very important to Middle Earth, though he had no idea why.

He thought back on what little information he had gotten out of Legolas. _Something about, 'Father says I mustn't cry.' I wonder when that was._ He thought hard on exactly how the words had been said; there was something…_He sounded like a child, like he was barely out of infancy when he spoke. It must have been write around the time his mother died. Well, I shall just have to see how the situation turns out._ He said a quick prayer to Iluvatar and then turned his mind to the work that needed his attention.

~+~

Aragorn's laughter sounded harshly loud to his own ears after the prince's laughter cut off abruptly. The man turned to his new friend anxiously. Legolas's eyes were fixed on some point mortal eyes couldn't discern. His face was as composed as at their first meeting. Aragorn winced at the memory.

The two rode the rest of the way to the cave-palace in silence. Aragorn watched from the corner of his eye, as Legolas grew more and more tense. He was almost relieved when they came to a halt because at least something would finally happen.

There was a tall elf in formal robes standing on the stairs waiting for them. Aragorn immediately knew him and looked straight through the neutral mask of the king. Father and son were very much alike, and the man had spent weeks on the process of coaxing life into the Mirkwood prince. That experience in whittling away the son's mask gave him insight into what was behind the father's mask. From many conversations he had initiated, he had drawn a fair portrait of King Thranduil, though much had been conjecture up until this meeting. Now he dismounted and bowed.

"Suilad, Your Majesty, from Lord Elrond. I am Aragorn."

He watched for a reaction and saw the faintest flicker, though he wasn't sure of its cause since it didn't reveal any surprise. He waited to see what the prince would do.

~+~

Legolas dismounted uncomfortably from his horse and bowed to his father. He had been greatly dreading this reunion and fell back on formality. "Suilad, Your Majesty." He straightened and waited for a response.

Thranduil surprised him by saying, "Welcome home, ion nin. It is good to have you back. You also are welcome, Aragorn."

Legolas relaxed slightly and responded, "Thank you, Father. May I have permission to go and clean myself up? And could perhaps Aragorn have the room next to mine?"

Thranduil nodded his permission and Legolas led the way past him.

~+~

Thranduil sighed. There was something troubling Legolas still, and Thranduil seemed to be the trigger. Summoning a servant, he wrote a brief note and asked the elf to deliver it to Aragorn. Then he waited.

Five long minutes later there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" he called.

The door opened and the man walked in, looking tidier than before but still weary.

"Have a seat," the king said. He motioned to a chair opposite his own. This was the informal study where he met with welcome guests. More formal callers had to make do with the uncomfortable official study or the throne room.

He waited for Aragorn to sit down and then handed him a glass of wine. The man tasted, raising an appreciative eyebrow before saying, "What do you need my help with, Your Majesty?"

"Just Thranduil, young man. I know a great deal about you from your foster father, such as that you are Isildur's Heir. That isn't important now, though. I also know that your father has trained you in the healing arts, and that interests me." He paused to sip at his own wine.

Aragorn decided to fill the silence with some of his rough conclusions. "You were wondering about Legolas. He is not at his best just now. I will give you the story in full later, but suffice to say his troubles are mostly in his mind. He believes that he should never experience or express any emotion as a result of a chance remark on your part shortly after your wife's death. Adar and I have been helping him adjust to the abrupt way his barriers came down shortly after his arrival in Imladris."

Thranduil raised his eyebrows. "I see you have also learned the art of diplomacy. I expect to hear the tale in full on the morrow. But for now I see that you are tired. I shall have someone take a tray of food to each of you, since if you are any indication, you are both in need of rest in quietude."

~+~

Taking that for the dismissal it was, Aragorn got to his feet, bowed, and left the room. Though he was indeed tired, he was still fascinated by the elven king in his role as anxious father, which was no act.

Rather than going to his own room, he tapped lightly on Legolas's door. There was no answer, so after debating with himself, he pushed it open. There was a bathing room attached to each bedroom in this section of the palace and that was where Aragorn found Legolas, fast asleep in the cooling water.

Making sure there were no weapons within reach of the prince, he called out, "Legolas? Mellon nin, wake up."

There was as splash and a curse as the elf jerked awake and groped around for something to throw.

"It is I, Aragorn. You have to get out before you freeze or drown or something," the man went on.

He waited for a response and got one—a splash of water in the face from the mischievous elf. Aragorn grinned and shook his head before grabbing a towel, which he held out unctuously. "Your Highness." He said in his fruitiest voice.

He laughed at Legolas's grimace and then went to sit on the balcony while he waited for his friend to dress. He sobered again as he fell into thought, and when Legolas came to sit beside him, he asked seriously, "Why do you act so stiff with your father?"

Legolas was quiet for a long moment and then said, "My father taught me never to show feelings after Naneth died. I have merely followed his example in this." He seemed not to realize where he was or what he was saying. He didn't notice that the window of the room directly beneath was open, was where Thranduil sat thinking about his son.

Aragorn knew though. He had made a habit of noticing such things growing up as he had with the twins as his teachers. Now he wondered what the king's reaction was since he surely heard.

~+~

Thranduil indeed heard, and winced at his son's words. _Have I been so cold then?_ He thought. He listened as the prince rambled on.

"I still remember that day, every detail. Even what clothes I wore. I still remember her face, her eyes closed as no elf's should be. And I remember his words. _"Enough of that noise! You have been spoiled by your mother, but I expect you to grow out of such infantile behavior immediately. You shall not cry again. I am thoroughly ashamed of your behavior."_

His own words spoken in his son's painfilled voice were like a slap on the face. Now he knew what was wrong with Legolas. It was all his fault. He had been insane with grief that day and had left his son's room as soon as possible to go to his own to cry, never thinking of what effect he had had on the young innocent who grieved also. His heart froze within him with horror and sorrow as Legolas continued.

"I tried for a while after that to get his attention but he was always so busy, so stern. I did my best to do my duties, to earn back his love after having shamed him so but he never smiled at me. I guess I just did as expected, nothing praiseworthy. Eventually I gave up. I did feel anything for centuries, not even physical pain, Aragorn. I turned into my father, a hard cold warrior. And then you came along. I didn't trust you at first, another lesson from him well learned, I suppose. But when you did that in the forest, when you saved me from the arrow, I just broke. No one had ever done such a thing before. Got in the way of a weapon for someone they barely knew, someone they had been rude to. That just shocked me and I went insane. I almost killed your brothers and myself. When you told me that it was good to feel, I didn't really believe you. And it does hurt sometimes, like seeing Adar today, as cold as ever. But there's also good, things like friendship and love. The father's love I received from Lord Elrond that I have been missing all my life. Hannon le, mellon nin."

Thranduil broke down and wept, silently at first, and then louder as he lost control, violent sobs that wracked his body similar to those of his son a few weeks earlier.

~+~

Legolas came out of his reverie. He hadn't meant to say all of what he did, but he had no regrets. Shaking his head, he caught the sound coming from below. His eyes widened and his body shook in shock as he recognized the sound.

__

Someone was crying, but why? I recognize that voice. Adar! "Adar!" He exclaimed aloud. _Did he hear everything?_ "Oh no!" 

He jumped up and swung out over the rail of the balcony, then propelled himself forward so that he landed on the lower balcony. As he had halfway expected, he saw his father, his hands in his face, doubled over in a comfortable armchair just inside the room from the balcony. After shaking himself out of his shock, he rushed inside and knelt beside the king.

"Adar." He whispered. The king didn't hear. "Ada. I'm sorry. I know I was a failure. Please forgive me." He begged marginally louder.

His father lowered one hand from his face—and laid it on Legolas's head. "It was never your fault, Legolas. None of it. I was a horrible father and I never realized it. I should be asking your forgiveness for what I have done to you."

Legolas stared in surprise. "But.."

"I have been selfish, ignoring you, pretending to immerse myself in my work. That day, that horrible day that started all of this, I was too grief stricken to realize what I was doing. That does not excuse me. I ruined your life, I see now. When I was telling you not to cry, I was really trying to convince myself. And I then went and cried, leaving you without the comfort I should have provided. Well, what is done is done. And I own several debts of gratitude to Aragorn."

He got to his feet and pulled Legolas up as well. The prince leaned into his father's embrace and hoped it would never end. It was long overdue.


	3. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I own nothing, neither Middle Earth, nor the Michael W. Smith song.

Legolas lay sprawled on his bed. He was rather overwhelmed by his joyous reunion with his father, though he realized now that his father did in fact love him, he still felt empty, unfulfilled. A lump filled his throat as he remembered that afternoon, just a few short hours before.

'Who is the you that no one else can see

In your heart the lonely one afraid to be

Lost again…need a friend 

****

Flashback

Thranduil, Legolas, and Aragorn sat companionably together in the study. The man had waited several minutes before following Legolas's route down, and the elves were glad.

Thranduil spoke up, "I'm sure neither of you could sleep now, so would one of you please tell me exactly what happened in Imladris? Something about Aragorn saving you life, I believe you said, ion nin?"

Legolas chuckled as Aragorn shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "He did, Adar; I had gone on a walk through the woods of Imladris and yrch attacked. I was trying to fight all of them off myself when up ran Aragorn. He killed a few and then deliberately got in the way of an arrow meant for me. I was so shocked that I managed to kill off all the rest." He looked down, leaving out the rest of the story.

His father looked at him questioningly, but Legolas refused to meet his eyes. He was ashamed of himself, both for the half-truth he had just told and for what in the story he had concealed. But he still couldn't bring himself to confess his weakness so soon after making up. He just _knew_ in that part of him that remained skeptical, that his father would reject him for his insanity.

Thankfully, the king didn't pressure him and the conversation turned to other matters, such as Aragorn's part in this reconciliation.

The man chuckled and blushed as Thranduil confronted him. "It's true," he admitted. "I did set this up. I realized right away that this room was below his, and that the window was open. After that, it was simple to start a conversation on his balcony. We did so all the time in Imladris."

As evening drew nigh, the king called for supper to be served there rather than joining in the grand hall. All their nerves were too raw for that. They spoke only of innocuous things as they ate, and then the two friends headed for their bedrooms, through the halls this time, though, rather than the window. Aragorn bade Legolas goodnight outside of his door, and the elf supposed he went right to sleep.

****

End Flashback

Legolas had no sleep in him. He was too strung up to relax, he felt so guilty and so worthless. He did his best to freeze his body and prevent the tears that were trying to burst forth. Instead he heard Lord Elrond's voice again, telling him tears were healthy rather than a sign of weakness. He relaxed marginally and the tears began to flow as hard as at his first breakdown.

'You hide your soul to keep the hurt inside

All alone your tears call out into the night

Is he there…does he care'

As he gulped on his tears, he halfway wished his father or Aragorn were there to talk to, but Aragorn was asleep and he was sure his father was busy taking care of one duty or another. 

He rolled around on his bed, trying to find a comfortable position. Failing, he got up, still weeping, and went to sit on the balcony, hoping he wouldn't be heard. He sat with his arms around his knees, which were drawn up against his chest. He gazed at the nightsky as the stars grew brighter, but his vision blurred with the tears. He was so focused that he never heard his bedroom door open.

~+~

Thranduil dealt with several minor problems before he felt a tugging on his heart. Rather than ignore it, as he had done in the past when he had thought it merely to be a longing for his wife, he stopped what he was doing immediately. As that happened to be walking down a hallway, he drew several curious looks from younger elves, and sympathetic ones from older elves who immediately recognized the look on his face, having felt the same pull from siblings or children many times. He ignored both and tried to figure out what the magic wanted him to do.

'Yes I know your name

Every prayer you pray

I'm the one who brought you to this place

The voice who sings to you

The hand that clings to you

Oh my child, I've always known your name

Known your name'

He followed its pull to his son's room and opened the door silently. He did not see Legolas at first, but finally located him by the glow coming from outside. Going out, he found the prince oblivious to his surroundings with a look of agony on his face. The king hesitantly sat down behind his son. He was out of practice at comforting people, but having failed as a father before, he wasn't going to do so again. With that in mind, he pulled the elfling (as he still thought of him) against his chest so he could lean on him. Though he expected resistance, instead Legolas collapsed into him, still crying but more gently.

'I hold you close to me, close to heart

And this kind of love will find you

Anywhere you are.

Never fear, I am here.'

There was a slight thud after a moment that caused Thranduil to look up sharply while reaching for a weapon. But it was only Aragorn. The Dunadan had heard the prince and come to help, the elf presumed.

The man surprised him, however, by saying, "Thranduil, there is more to the tale than he told you earlier, and I am sure that is the double reason why he weeps. He turned to the younger elf then and said, "Legolas, may I finish your story? Your father really needs to know."

The prince tensed up but nodded slightly, turning to bury his face into his father's tunic.

~+~

Aragorn began hesitantly, but with growing strength. "As he said earlier, I came to rescue him from the orcs. He had been a bit rude to me earlier, since I suppose he wasn't used to men, but I had heard the trees warning of orcs near a woodland elf so I went to warn him. He was doing fairly well on his own when I got there, but then he was overpowered for a moment and one raised a bow to shoot him while some of the others had hold of him. I wasn't feeling particularly heroic at the time, but I had been fascinated by my first impression of him for one thing, and I also, having been raised politics, realized the diplomatic problems that would come with the prince of Mirkwood being killed by orcs while under the protection of Imladris. So I got in the way and went down hard.

"The rest of the tale I have from my brothers and Legolas since I was unconscious at the time after all. Legolas went into shock and then went berserk. He killed the rest of the orcs on his own and also, apparently, screamed. El and El heard him and thought to come to his rescue. Instead he didn't immediately recognize them and almost killed them. So Elrohir knocked him from a distance with a fallen tree branch, stunning him but getting him out of his blind rage. Then they hauled both of us back to be patched up by Ada.

"I think Legolas believes you will think less of him for that temporary insanity and because he broke you 'rule' of not crying, for he cried when he killed the orcs and again when he woke up afterward in my huge bed, where Father placed both of us so Legolas wouldn't believe me dead when he woke up."

Aragorn stopped and watched Thranduil's face for a reaction.

~+~

Thranduil was unsure what to feel but settled for compassion. Of course he had been shocked, amused, and horrified in turns during the telling, but knowing what his beloved son had gone through, he was just sorry had hadn't been there earlier for him so Legolas would have immediately known to trust him rather than being afraid of his reaction.

Legolas was still tense in his arms and trying to pull away in shame. Thranduil didn't let him though. Instead, he lifted the prince's chin and looked into the tearful eyes as he said, "I love you, ion nin." He kissed Legolas's forehead and then pulled him back into his embrace. "I am so proud of you, and I will not reject you for anything. We will get through this together."

There was a swish of cloth and another thud, and when the king looked up, Aragorn was gone, leaving the two their privacy.

~+~

Legolas relaxed into his father's strong arms. He hadn't enjoyed hearing his weakness revealed, but his father had not pushed him away as he had half expected. Indeed, Thranduil had only held him closer as if to protect him from such things. Legolas felt unexpectedly stronger now, as he had after being healed by Elrond. In retrospect, he realized that his father had been feeding him energy. Then he noticed that the king's hands had gotten rather cold.

Pulling reluctantly out of the comforting embrace, he got to his feet and then pulled his father up. Thranduil seemed rather stiff and unsteady, and Legolas had to support him back inside.

"Will you stay with me tonight, Ada?" He asked in a small voice. He knew that his father probably couldn't make it to his room, and besides, he had been alone far too long. He was afraid that if he was apart from his father too long, he would forget how loved he was and lapse back into his old coldness that came of protecting himself from the emotions that would show him to be weak, as he had thought before.

To his profound relief, his father nodded, and Legolas helped him over to the bed. When he started to protest, Legolas pushed his shoulder slightly with his fingers and Thranduil lost his balance.

In his best little boy voice, Legolas pleaded, "Please, Ada, may I sleep with you just this once?"

Thranduil grinned and nodded. Then he sat down on the edge of the bed to take of his shoes but almost fell from dizziness as he bent over. Legolas was alarmed at the turn of affairs but made his father lay back and pulled off his shoes for him before climbing in himself and curling up into a ball at Thranduil's side. The king slid an arm under Legolas's head and immediately fell asleep, followed shortly by his son.

~+~

As the sun rose, Thranduil slowly brought his eyes into focus as he tried to figure out what the weight on his arm was. Then he recalled what had occurred the night before and looked down at Legolas, who was just beginning to wake.

"Good morning, ion nin," he said congenially as Legolas stirred. The prince stretched and his eyes widened as he almost hit his father in the face. Thranduil chuckled at his surprised face. "Did you sleep well?" He asked.

"Well enough," Legolas responded, still a bit confused. Then his face showed enlightenment. "Adar! I'm sorr…"

Thranduil interrupt, "Nothing to apologize for, ion. I am just glad you are well. I have been vaguely worried about you for some time, but only lately actually scraped together enough sense to send you to Elrond."

Legolas raised his eyebrows. "You sent me to Elrond because you hoped he'd figure out why you were worried? Did you even tell him?"

"Of course not. He's a healer; of course he would see that there was a problem. I am sure he is a bit worried now, though, since from what Aragorn said, he rightfully blames me. I shall have to send him a letter by pigeon to reassure him. Meanwhile, would you get off my arm? I'm sure it's numb now." He grinned playfully and poked Legolas in the ribs.

Legolas grinned back. "And whose fault is that? My memory tells me that you are the one who put that arm there." 

Just there was a tap on the balcony door and Aragorn leaned in. "Good morning, Your Royalnesses! And how are you doing this fine day?"

Thranduil sputtered indignantly at his impudence but said, still laughing. "Much better, thank you. Though of course my arm is still immobile and numb!"

They all laughed and got ready for a fine day.


End file.
